Stencil constructions including barrier structure



v July 29, 1969 c. R. RYDBERG ET Al. 3,457,856

STENCIL CONSTRUCTIONS INCLUDING BARRIER STRUCTURE Filed Jan. 2a, 1966 INVENTORS CLARENCE R. RYDBERG BY GEORGE KNIGHT Z ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,457,856 STENCIL CONSTRUCTIONS INCLUDING BARRIER STRUCTURE Clarence R. Rydberg and George Knight, Hingham,

Mass, assignors to Dymo Industries, Inc., Emeryville, Calif., a corporation of California Filed Jan. 28, 1966, Ser. No. 523,596 Int. Cl. B41n 1/24; B41] 13/00 U.S. Cl. 101128.2 5 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A stencil assembly in the form of an elongate strip of indeterminate length constructed especially for coiling into a roll and from which can be severed relatively small individual labels of accurately determined length, which labels are capable of being at least temporarily affixed to larger sheets, the assembly including a relatively narrow securing strip of a material flexible enough to d be coiled into a roll, a stencil sheet aflixed to the securing strip, a carbon layer, an adhesive affixed to the securing strip for enabling the individual labels to be affixed to the larger sheets, the adhesive being spaced laterally from the stencil sheet so that the securing strip presents a physical barrier between the adhesive and the stencil sheet, and a series of apertures in the securing strip spaced equidistant from one another for facilitating the advancement of the indeterminate length of the assembly from the roll in predetermined increments to enable the accurate delineation of the individual labels of accurately determined length in the indeterminate length.

The present invention relates generally to stencil constructions and pertains more specifically to stencil assemblies which are adapted to be employed as relatively small labels at least temporarily affixed to larger sheets by adhesive means incorporated as a part of the label construction.

Stencil assemblies which have adhesive means for lightly attaching the assembly onto a working surface have found use where it is desirable to prepare several documents, each having identical information thereon. For example, the same name and address may be placed upon a shipping label or directly upon a shipping carton by preparing a master stencil simultaneous with the preparation of an invoice or packing slip and then employing the stencil for marking the label or carton.

Since the stencil assembly is only temporarily affixed to a document, or working sheet, while the stencil is being cut or employed in marking operations, some means must be utilized for holding the stencil sheet of the assembly in position, preferably lightly attached for ease in detachment. Such means should advantageously be a part of the stencil assembly. One of the most desirable means for holding the stencil assembly in position upon the working sheet has been found to be a film or layer of pressure sensitive adhesive. Thus, the art of stencil assemblies used as labels has been developed around the employment of such adhesives in combination with stencil sheets and the most commonly used stencil assemblies employ a strip of pressure sensitive adhesive tape which partially overlaps the stencil sheet and provides a free adhesive surface along that portion of the tape which extends beyond the stencil sheet. It has been found, however, that in such assemblies certain constituents of the stencil sheet, namely, plasticizers which are essential to the best performance of such stencils, interact with the pressure sensitive adhesive contacting the stencil sheets to produce a gummy substance which is exuded from the assembly and which interferes with the proper operation 3,457,856 Patented July 29, 1969 of systems employing the stencil assemblies. The gummy substance has been found to interfere with the dispensing of labels fabricated from the stencil assembly when the labels are stacked by sticking the labels together. Additionally, once a label is placed upon the working surfac of a business form and then removed, the gummy substance will remain as a residue upon the form allowing the surface to become tacky and causing like forms to stick to one another. Also, the interaction of the plasticizers and the adhesives causes degradation of the adhesive bond between the pressure sensitive adhesive tape and the stencil sheet allowing the sheet to separate from the tape and from the document to which the label is attached by the tape. Thus, when stacking a group of documents with labels attached, the gummy substance can stick the forms together or the labels may be separated from the documents or both conditions may occur. It will be apparent that such deterioration arising from the adverse interaction between pressure sensitive adhesives and constituents of the stencil sheet impose a severe limitation upon the shelf-life of stencil assemblies and a solution to the problem presented by such interaction would increase the practical use of stencil assemblies since they could be prepared and stored indefinitely without adverse effects.

It is therefore an important object of the invention to provide a stencil assembly employing a pressure sensitive adhesive attaching means wherein a barrier is present between the adhesive means and the stencil sheet of the assembly to preclude deleterious interaction between constituents of the stencil sheet and the adhesive means.

Another object of the invention is to provide a stencil assembly for use as relatively small labels capable of being at least temporarily afiixed to larger sheets wherein a stencil sheet and carbon sheet are permanently afiixed to a securing strip and adhesive means are provided on the securing strip remote from the stencil sheet so that the securing strip will serve as a barrier between the stencil sheet and the adhesive means physically isolating one from the other to preclude harmful interaction between constituents of the stencil sheet and the adhesiv of the adhesive means.

The securing strip lends itself readily to rendering the stencil assembly more easily indexed and registered for severing and imprinting operations where labels of accurately measured length or having accurately registered printed matter thereon are desired.

Thus, it is a further object of the invention to provide a simplified stencil assembly in indeterminate length which may be positively and accurately advanced in predetermined increments to delineate separate labels of measured length in the indeterminate length and to allow accurate registration of printed matter impressed upon each label or accurate severing of each label from the indeterminate length.

A still further object of the invention is to provide the securing strip of the above described stencil assembly with a series of apertures so that the securing strip may serve as a carrier for cooperatively engaging correspond ing means in a strip advancing mechanism to facilitate the feeding of an indeterminate length of the assembly in predetermined increments and enable the accurate delineation of separate labels of measured length in the indeterminate length.

The above objects, as well as further objects and advantages, are attained in the present invention which may be described briefly as a stencil assembly for use as relatively small labels capable of being at least temporarily atfixed to larger sheets, the assembly comprising a longitudinally extending relatively narrow securing strip, and a stencil sheet permanently aflixed to at least a portion of the securing strip along a marginal edge portion of the stencil sheet. A carbon layer is included and is at least partially coextensive with the stencil sheet. The securing strip has further portions which can carry adhesive means in the form of a pressure sensitive adhesive layer or tape, these further portions being remote from the aifixed marginal edge portion of the stencil sheet so that the securing strip serves as a physical barrier between the stencil sheet and the adhesive means. The securing strip can also serve as a carrier for the assembly by being provided with a series of apertures aligned longitudinally and spaced equidistant from one another for cooperatively engaging corresponding means in a strip advancing mechanism and facilitating the feeding of an indeterminate length of the assembly in predetermined increments to enable the accurate delineation of separate labels of measured length in the indeterminate length.

The invention wil be more fully understood, and still further objects and advantages will become apparent, in the following detailed description of embodiments of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view illustrating a typical business form with a stencil assembly constructed in accordance with the invention affixed thereto in the form of a label;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of a stencil assembly of indeterminate length constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of another stencil assembly of the invention;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view similar to FIGURE 4 but illustrating an alternate construction;

FIGURE 6 is a plan view of still another stencil assembly of the invention;

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line 7-7 of FIGURE 6; and

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view similar to FIGURE 7 but illustrating another alternative construction.

Referring to the drawing, and in particular to FIGURE 1, a typical business form is illustrated in the form of an invoice 10 for the purchase of goods. Temporarily affixed to the invoice 10 is a stencil assembly constructed in accordance with the invention and shown in the form of a relatively small label 12 having a stencil sheet 14 lying over a layer of reproducing or duplicating material shown in the form of a carbon layer or sheet 16 which is at least partially coextensive with the stencil sheet. The terms carbon layer or carbon sheet are employed interchangeably to denote material which will reproduce impressions made upon the stencil sheet to print such impressions on the form upon which the label is atfixed and can encompass carbon paper sheets as well as other such reproduction materials in the form of sheets or layers. -In the illustrated configuration, the relatively large invoice 10 may be placed in a typewriter, or a similar character forming machine, and the name and address of the purchaser of the goods, as well as any further pertinent information, is simultaneously cut into the stencil sheet 14 and printed upon the invoice 10 by the carbon sheet 16. The label 12 may then be removed from the invoice, the carbon sheet may be discarded and the stencil sheet employed to imprint the same name, address and further information upon shipping labels or directly upon cartons in which the goods are shipped.

Label 12 is preferably of measured length and is advantageously formed by being severed from a stencil assembly of indeterminate length such as stencil assembly 20 shown supplied from a roll 22 in FIGURE 2. In stencil assembly 20, the stencil sheet 14 and the carbon sheet 16 are each permanently affixed to portions of a longitudially extending relatively narrow securing strip 24 along marginal edge portions 26 and 28 of the stencil and carbon sheets, respectively, by means of an adhesive 30 shown on the portions of the securing strip to which the stencil and carbon sheets are afiixed. The securing strip provides further portions remote from the affixed marginal edge portions 26 and 28 of the stencil and carbon sheets for receiving further adhesive means enabling the relatively small individual labels 12 to be affixed to larger sheets such as invoice 10 as well as further business forms with the securing strip itself serving as a barrier between the stencil sheet and the adhesive means physically isolating one from the other, all of which will be explained in greater detail below.

In fabricating labels 12 from the indeterminate length of stencil assembly 20, it is desirable to feed the stencil assembly from roll 22 in accurately measured predetermined increments in order to obtain labels of desired length by severing accurately measured lengths of the advanced assembly. In addition, it is often desired to place certain printed matter upon each label, such as company names, trademarks or other matter, and this may be accomplished advantageously by die impressing such printed matter upon the elongated stencil assembly prior to severing the separate labels from the assembly. In such instances, accurate location of the printed matter upon the assembly is essential in assuring that the printed matter is properly registered with respect to each label. Both accurate severing and accurate registration of printed matter require some means for assuring that stencil assembly 20 can be advanced from roll 22 with no cumulative gain or loss in successive increments of advancement. Stencil assembly 20 provides such means in the form of a series of apertures 32 in the securing strip 24, the apertures 32 being aligned longitudinally and spaced equidistant from one another along the securing strip beyond the marginal edge portions 26 and 28 of the stencil and carbon sheets. Apertures 32 are thus arranged for cooperative engagement with a strip feeding means, such as a sprocket wheel or some other advancing mechanism which employs projections corresponding to the apertures 32 so that the apertures may be engaged and the stencil assembly 20 positively advanced by the feed means. The positive advancement provided by such means engaging the apertures assures accurate feed without a cumulative gain or loss in the advancement of stencil assembly 20 during the continued feeding and fabrication of labels 12. Each label 12 is accurately delineated by control of the advancing means and a positive connection between the advancing means and securing strip 24 which serves as a carrier for the stencil assembly. Thus, accurate registration of impression dies and severing means is attained.

Turning now to FIGURES 3 and 4, another embodiment in the form of label 112 is shown having a stencil sheet 114 and a carbon layer 116 in a stencil assembly 120 wherein the stencil sheet and carbon layer are afiixed to a longitudinally elongated relatively narrow securing strip 124 at marginal edge portions 126 and 128 of the stencil sheet and carbon layer, respectively, by an adhesive 130 in a manner identical to label 12 and stencil assembly 20. As in stencil assembly 20, a series of apertures 132 are provided in the securing strip .124 for accurate feed of the assembly. The accurate feed provided -by the employment of apertures 132 allows accurate delineation of the individual labels and accurate registration of printed matter on each label, which printed matter is illustrated in FIGURE 3 in the form of the wording SHIP TO and the decorative border 133 both of which have been die-impressed into stencil sheet 114. In label 112 the stencil sheet and carbon layer are each aflixed to portions of the top face 134 of opposite top and bottom faces 134 and 136, respectively, of the securing strip, adjacent longitudinal edge 138 of the securing strip. Adhesive means are provided at a further portion of the top face of the securing strip remote from the marginal edge portions 126 and 128 of the stencil sheet and carbon layer in the form of a strip of tape 140 having a layer of pressure sensitive adhesive 142 affixed to the top face of the securing strip and overlappin an opposite longitudinal edge 144 of the Securing strip 124 so that the layer of pressure sensitive adhesive 142 extends beyond the longitudinal edge 144 of the securing strip to provide a free adhesive portion 146 for at least temporarily afiixing a label 112 upon a business form such as invoice 10.

As explained above, it has been found that when a common pressure sensitive adhesive, for example, an acrylic co-polymer such as ethyl acrylate-methyl methacrylate co-polymer which is heavily loaded with alkaline earth stearates, such as calcium stearate, is placed into such relationship with a stencil sheet as to allow constituents of the sheet to interact with the adhesive, the adhesive bond between the adhesive and the stencil sheet is degraded and a gummy substance is exuded, both of which conditions are harmful. It is believed that these conditions arise as a result of migration of the plasticizer employed in the stencil sheet and contamination of the adhesive by the plasticizer. Common stencil sheet plasticizers such as castor oil, mineral oils, oleyl alcohols and the like appear to attack the commonly employed pressure sensitive adhesives to produce the above outlined deleterious effects. The construction of stencil assembly 120 avoids the harmful effects of the interaction between stencil sheet constituents and the pressure sensitive adhesive by establishing a barrier between the stencil sheet and the pressure sensitive adhesive, the barrier being in the form of securing strip 124 which physically separates or isolates the pressure sensitive adhesive 142 from the stencil sheet 114 in that the tape 140 and adhesive .142 are laterally displaced from the marginal edge portion 126 of the stencil sheet. Securing strip 124 (as well as securing strip 24) is preferably fabricated of ordinary paper. Other suitable materials will be apparent to those skilled in the art of materials. Apertures 132 are conveniently located between tape 140 and marginal edge portions 126 and 128 of the stencil and carbon sheets. Adhesive 130, as well as adhesive in stencil assembly 20, need not be a pressure sensitive adhesive and is chosen from among those adhesives or glues which will not interact with constituents of the stencil sheet to produce the harmful effects outlined above. One type of adhesive which has proved satisfactory is a polyvinyl acetate base adhesive, one such adhesive being available from the Fuller Adhesive Company, Inc. under their designation A-3979H.

In the configuration of FIGURE 5, the stencil sheet 114 and carbon layer 116 are each affixed to the securing strip 124 by adhesive 130 as in the construction of FIGURE 4; however, the adhesive means is in the form of a layer of pressure sensitive adhesive .150 applied directly to the bottom face 136 of the securing strip adjacent the longitudinal edge 144 remote from the marginal edge portions of the stencil sheet and carbon layer. Thus, the configuration provides a physical barrier between the pressure sensitive adhesive 150 and the stencil sheet by virtue of the thickness of the securing strip between the top and bottom faces thereof as well as the lateral displacement of the layer of adhesive 150 from the marginal edge portion 126 of the stencil sheet. A label employing the construction of FIGURE 5, when applied to an invoice 10, would appear as depicted in FIGURE 1.

Turning now to the embodiment of FIGURES 6 and 7, a label 212 is shown having a stencil sheet 214 overlying a carbon sheet 216 in much the same manner as the construction of labels 12 and 112. The structure of stencil assembly 220 shows the stencil and carbon sheets affixed to a securing strip 224 at the marginal edge portions 226 and 228 of the stencil and carbon sheets, respectively, by an adhesive 230. In this instance the stencil and carbon sheets are not affixed to the top face 234 of the securing strip 224 but are permanently affixed to the bottom face 236 adjacent longitudinal edge 238 of the securing strip while adhesive means are provided in the form of tape 240 having a layer of pressure sensitive adhesive 242 affixed to the top face 234 and overlapping an opposite longitudinal edge 244 to provide an adhesive portion 246 for at least temporarily afiixing a label 212 upon a business form such as invoice .10. The securing strip 224 thus provides a physical barrier between the adhesive 242 and the stencil sheet 214 by virtue of the thickness of securing strip 224 between opposite top and bottom faces 234 and 236 as well as the lateral displacement of tape 240 and adhesive 242 from the marginal edge portion of the stencil sheet.

In the configuration of FIGURE 8, the stencil sheet 214 and carbon sheet 216 are each affixed to the securing strip 224 by adhesive 230 as in the construction of FIGURE 7; however, the adhesive means is in the form of a layer of pressure sensitive adhesive 250 applied directly to the bottom face 236 of the securing strip adjacent the longitudinal edge 244 remote from the marginal edge portions of the stencil and carbon sheets. Thus, the configuration provides a physical barrier between the pressure sensitive adhesive 250 and the stencil sheet by virtue of the lateral displacement of the layer of pressure sensitive adhesive 250 from the marginal edge portion 226 of the stencil sheet. The embodiments of FIGURES 6 through 8 find use in applications where label length and registration are not necessarily critical and hence do not employ the series of apertures found in the securing strips of the earlier described embodiments.

It is understood that the above detailed description of certain embodiments of the invention are provided by way of example only. Various details of design and construction may be modified without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A stencil assembly in the form of an elongate strip of indeterminate length substantially all of which is coiled into a roll and from which can be severed relatively small individual labels of accurately determined length, which labels are capable of being removably aflixed to larger sheets, the assembly comprising:

a longitudinally extending relatively narrow securing strip of a material flexible enough to allow coiling of the securing strip into a roll, said securing strip having two opposite longitudinal edges and two opposite faces;

a stencil sheet permanently affixed to one of said two opposite faces of the securing strip adjacent one of said two opposite longitudinal edges along a marginal edge portion of the stencil sheet;

adhesive means for enabling the individual labels to be removably affixed to the larger sheets, said adhesive means being affixed to one of the two opposite faces of the securing strip adjacent the other of the opposite edges and including a layer of pressure sensitive adhesive spaced laterally from the marginal edge portion of the stencil sheet such that the lateral spacing of the adhesive layer from the stencil sheet provides a physical barrier between the stencil sheet and the adhesive layer in the individual label and assures that the adhesive layer will not contact the stencil sheet when said strip of intermediate length is coiled in said roll; and

a series of apertures in the securing strip aligned longitudinally and spaced equidistant from one another for facilitating the advancement of the indeterminate length of said assembly from said roll in predetermined increments to enable the accurate delineation of said individual labels of accurately determined length in said indeterminate length.

2. The stencil assembly of claim 1 wherein said adhesive layer is on the face of the securing strip opposite to the face to which the stencil sheet is affixed such that the thickness of the securing strip provides at least a portion of the physical barrier between the adhesive layer and the stencil sheet in said individual labels.

3. The stencil assembly of claim 1 wherein said ad hesive means comprises a strip of pressure sensitive adhesive tape including said adhesive layer, said adhesive layer being afiixed to the face of the securing strip opposite to the face to which the stencil sheet is afiixed, the tape and the adhesive layer thereon being laterally spaced away from the marginal edge portion of the stencil sheet and extending laterally beyond the other of the opposite longitudinal edges to provide an adhesive layer portion for affixing said individual labels to the larger sheets, the thickness of the securing strip providing at least a portion of the physical barrier between the adhesive layer and the stencil sheet in said individual labels, and said apertures lie between the marginal edge portion of the stencil sheet and the pressure sensitive adhesive tape.

4. A stencil assembly in the form of an elongate strip of indeterminate length substantially all of which is coiled into a roll and from which can be severed relatively small individual labels of accurately determined length, which labels are capable of being removably aifixed to larger sheets, the assembly comprising:

a longitudinally extending relatively narrow securing strip of a material flexible enough to allow coiling of the securing strip into said roll, said securing strip having two opposite longitudinal edges and two opposite faces;

a stencil sheet permanently afiixed to one of said two opposite faces of the securing strip adjacent one of said two opposite longitudinal edges along a marginal edge portion of the stencil sheet;

adhesive means for enabling the individual labels to be removably affixed to the larger sheets, said adhesive means being affixed to said one of the two opposite faces of the securing strip adjacent the other of the opposite edges and including a layer of pressure sensitive adhesive spaced laterally from the marginal edge portion of the stencil sheet such that the lateral spacing of the adhesive layer from the stencil sheet provides a physical barrier between the stencil sheet and the adhesive layer in the individual labels and the thickness of the securing strip provides at least a portion of the physical barrier between the adhesive layer and the stencil sheet to assure that the adhesive layer will not contact the stencil sheet within said roll; and

a series of apertures in the securing strip aligned longitudinally and spaced equidistant from one another for facilitating the advancement of the indeterminate length of said assembly from said roll in predetermined increments to enable the accurate delineation of said individual labels of accurately determined length in said indeterminate length.

5. The stencil assembly of claim 4 wherein said adhesive means comprises a strip of pressure sensitive adhesive tape including said adhesive layer, said adhesive layer being afiixed to the same face of the securing strip as the face to which the stencil sheet is affixed, the tape and the adhesive layer thereon being laterally spaced away from the marginal edge portion of the stencil sheet and extending laterally beyond the other of the opposite longitudinal edges to provide an adhesive layer portion for afiixing said individual labels to the larger sheets, and wherein said apertures lie between the marginal edge portion of the stencil sheet and the pressure sensitive adhesive tape.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,707,095 3/1929 Pyle l0l127.1 2,070,181 2/1937 Ryan 101128.2 XR 2,976,802 3/1961 Mason 10l-l28.l 3,270,066 9/1966 Breverman 101128.2

DAVID KLEIN, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 101-127.1, 128.1 

